Thanks that worked on this machine (32 bit Hellfire).
On my other pc, main workstation it did not -any attempt to start a program with root privileges had to go through terminal + sux root.
I needed to fix the system clock/time zone settings.

The other pc is now running ubuntu but only temporarily - I just never got that installation right, was from RC6 and I messed around because of a wifi/3g problem etc.
will get it right with the latest version -its just that i have to download on my free 'broadband' which gives 12-13 kb/sec.
19 hours left last time i checked, just left it on before leaving town
mobile internet can get up to ca. 200 but that is limited to 6gb month.